CYPHER CAT A
PRORITY WASHINGTON
TELEGRAM NO. 1777
SECRET
SECRET
GUARD
105
COPY FOR REGISTRATION
TO FOREIGN OFFICE
25 MAY 1967
GUARD
ADDRESSED TO FOREIGN OFFICE TELEGRAM NO. 1777 OF 25 MAY REPEATED FOR INFORMATION ROUTINE TO HONG KONG.
(104) HONG KONG TELEGRAM NO. 691, PARAGRAPH 3: POSSIBLE FUTURE ACTION
IN HONG KONG.
I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT IN PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES THE AMERICANS, BOTH CIVILIAN AND MILITARY, WILL BE AS HELPFUL AS POSSIBLE AND RESPONSIVE TO REQUESTS TO LIMIT NAVAL VISITS, I THINK THAT THEY WOULD ALSO BE READY TO DECREASE THE NUMBER OF MEN FLOWN IN FROM VIETNAM. 2. - SUSPECT HOWEVER THAT THEY WOULD BE RELUCTANT TO REGARD SUCH ARRANGEMENTS AS PERMANENT, ARGUING THAT, AS SEEMS TO BE THE CASE, VISITS BY SERVICEMEN AND SHIPS WERE NOT (NOT) THE CAUSE OF THE PRESENT DISTURBANCES AND THAT, AS IN MACAO, CONCESSIONS MERELY WHET THE APPETITE OF THE COMMUNISTS.
3. WHILE THE AMERICANS WOULD PROBABLY NOT (NOT) BE TOO DISTURBED BY CHINESE CLAIMS OF A VICTORY IN THIS CONTEXT, PROVIDED THEY KNEW THAT HONG KONG WOULD IN FACT ALLOW THEM TO WORK VERY GENTLY BACK TO SOMETHING LIKE THE NUMBERS PERMITTED UP TO THE PRESENT, THERE IS SOME RISK THAT IF THE CHINESE CROWED TOO LOUDLY ABOUT THEIR SUCCESS IN REDUCING U.S. SERVICE VISITS THIS WOULD STIMULATE AMERICAN CORRESPONDENTS TO ASK FOR DETAILS. THE ADMISSION OF SUBSTANTIAL REDUCTIONS COULD BE REGARDED AS INVOLVING U.S. PRESTIGE ALSO AND LEAD TO PRESSURE IN CONGRESS.
4. WE HAVE POINTED OUT THE HARM CAUSED BY STATEMENTS BY QUOTE MILITARY OFFICIALS UNQUOTE SUCH AS THAT REPORTED IN HONG KONG TELEGRAM NO. 684 AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE STATE DEPARTMENT ARE TELEGRAPHING SAIGON AND HONG KONG. THIS SHOULD RESULT IN GREATER
/DISCRETION
NO.
LAST REF.
LEX)
RCF.
Voy
SECRET
GUARD
RECEIVED IN
ARCHIVES No. 63
30M 247
亚
HWA
SENT TO HONG KONG AS COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (D.T.D.) TELEGRAM
1053
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